Divide and Rule? Division of Labour and the Position of Designers in the UK Construction Industry

Theoretical conditions associated with division of labour among firms are considered in relation to designers and constructors of buildings in the UK. A long-term historical view of this slow-changing industry suggests that designers' independence peaked around the middle of the twentieth century and that subsequently some of their functions began to be integrated into other firms. The waning of designers' independence occurred despite continued market growth (albeit subject to considerable fluctuations). It is proposed that independence and its decline related to aspects of the professionalization of designers. Sharp division of labour promoted by professionalization divorced designers and clients, and in this sense progressed too far. The recent developments have partly reversed this trend.